PORTABLE X-RAY CASSETTE HOLDER FOR OPERATING ROOMS
A portable device for taking an X-ray of a human or animal patient comprising: a base for positioning an X-ray cassette holder adjacent to a patient, the patient being positioned on an operating table, and an X-ray cassette holder; the base comprising a first plate member having an upper surface and a bottom surface, the X-ray cassette holder being positioned on the upper surface and means positioned on the bottom surface for attaching the portable device to a surface adjacent to the operating table; the X-ray cassette holder comprising a second plate hingedly attached to the upper surface of the first plate so that the second plate can be positioned between a storage position and a functional position; the second plate defining channels at opposite sides thereof for positioning an X-ray film cassette adjacent to the patient to be X-rayed; means for locking the second plate in the functional position; and, a method for employing the device to X-ray a patient.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of X-raying and a device for holding an X-ray film cassette while an X-ray of a part of the body of either a human being or of an animal is being taken in an operating room environment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the operating theater it is frequently necessary to produce an X-ray or other medical image of a part of a human or animal patient that is about to undergo or is actually undergoing surgery. Such medical imaging allows for earlier diagnoses and more complete assessments as to the surgical site and the surgeon is better able to assess a favorable outcome for the surgical intervention.
With current conventional procedures and equipment, X-raying or other medical imaging procedures performed, e.g., while a patient is still under surgical anesthesia, requires the transport of the patient to an imaging facility thereby compromising surgical field sterility and risking injury to the anesthetized patient. The condition of the patients in the operating theater, however, renders it virtually impossible to move them once they have assumed the desired position on the operating table, either due to the fact that they require immediate surgery, they are anesthetized, or because they would experience severe pain if they were moved. In these circumstances, medical imaging procedures must be performed while the patient remains in the operating room. Thus, there exists a need for medical imaging to be performed while an anesthetized or otherwise immovable surgical patient lies on an operating table. Such a system affords the surgeon instant feedback as to the success of the surgery and with less likelihood of surgical field contamination. Further, such a system would provide a standard frame of reference between a body tissue and position sensing surgical aids.
Usually, the X-ray film (or other medical imaging medium) is in a cassette and it is extremely difficult, if not impossible to position the part of the body of the patient that is to be X-rayed between the source of the X-rays and the cassette that holds the film. Thus, there also exists the need for a portable medical imaging film cassette holder that will enable the positioning of the film relative to the medical imaging apparatus and the patient to be imaged that does not require substantial movement or physical repositioning of the patient in the operating room. Currently available systems such as those marketed by AliMed, Inc. of Dedham, Mass. do not provide satisfactory results in this regard.
It is an object of the present invention to provide such a portable imaging film cassette holder device.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel method of medical imaging employing the device of the invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe above and other objects are realized by the present invention, one embodiment of which relates to a portable device for taking an X-ray of a human or animal patient comprising:
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- a base means for positioning an X-ray cassette holder adjacent to a patient, the patient being positioned on an operating table, and an X-ray cassette holder means;
- the base means comprising a first plate member having an upper surface and a bottom surface, the X-ray cassette holder means being positioned on the upper surface and means positioned on the bottom surface for attaching the portable device to a surface adjacent to the operating table;
- the X-ray cassette holder means comprising a second plate member hingedly attached to the upper surface of the first plate so that the second plate can be selectively positioned between a storage position wherein the second plate lies substantially parallel to the upper surface of the first plate and a functional position wherein the second plate is substantially vertical to the upper surface of the first plate;
- the second plate defining C-shaped channels at opposite sides thereof for positioning an X-ray film cassette therein adjacent to the portion of the patient to be X-rayed when the second plate is in the functional position; and
- means for locking the second plate in the functional position.
Another embodiment of the invention concerns a method of positioning a patient on an operating table and an X-ray film cassette relative to each other for the purpose of X-raying the patient comprising:
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- providing the device of claim 1 and attaching the device to the surface adjacent to the operating table so that the second plate is in the functional position and locked therein by the locking means;
- inserting an X-ray film cassette in the C-shaped channels;
- positioning the device so that X-rays passing in a given path through the patient will intersect the cassette, and transmitting X-rays along the path.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the present invention, are given by way of illustration and not limitation. Many changes and modifications within the scope of the present invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof, and the invention includes all such modifications.
The preferred embodiment of the device of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and described hereinbelow and is configured to be used in conjunction with a conventional Mayo stand, one type or another of which is found in virtually all operating theaters. A typical Mayo Stand is a surgical instrument holder of the type which includes a horizontally disposed tray cantilevered off a vertical support. It will be understood, however, by those skilled in the art that the device of the invention may be utilized with any stand, table or other surface positionable adjacent to or near the patient in the operating room
An illustrative embodiment of the medical imaging film cassette holder and method of the present invention will be described with reference to following drawings in which like numerals refer to like elements, and in which
The holder plate 15 also defines C-shaped channels 17 at opposite sides thereof in which a medical imaging film cassette (not shown) can be positioned adjacent to the portion of the patient to be X-rayed when the holder plate 15 is in the functional position. The C-shaped channels 16 are constructed so as to extend substantially vertical to the base plate 11 when holder plate 15 is raised to the functional position. The C-shaped channels 17 may extend on the side of the holder plate 15 that lies parallel to upper surface 12 of base plate 11 when holder plate 15 is lowered to the storage position, or they may extend on the side opposite to the side of the holder plate 15 that lies parallel to upper surface 12 of base plate 11 when holder plate 15 is lowered to the storage position, as shown in
Preferably, the holder plate 15 is hingedly attached to base plate 12 so that, when raised to the functional position, is prevented by the edges of the C-shaped channels 17 from extending to a position such that the interior angle A formed between the two plates is more than about 90°. The holder plate may be hingedly attached to base plate along substantially the entire lengths or substantially less than the entire lengths of plates 11 and 15, depending upon the degree of strength of attachment desired in any particular construction contemplated.
The bottom surface 13 of the base plate 11 is equipped with means for attaching the device 10 to the surface of, e.g., a table (preferably a Mayo stand, shown in
A locking means is provided to secure holder plate 15 in the functional position when the latter is raised from its storage position. As shown in
A further illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in
A further illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in
A typical Mayo stand 135 is shown in
It will be understood that the holder 10 may be constructed of any material suitable for a medical imaging environment. Preferably, the plates 11 and 15 are constructed of a medically acceptable rigid or semirigid material such as a plastic, e.g., PVC, ABS and the like. The dimensions of the holder 10 and its principal components, base plate 11, holder plate 15, C-shaped channels 17, attachment means 18, locking means 22, hinge means 14 and 24, raised edge 21 and flanges 26 are not overly critical, will depend upon the intended use and application of the device and are well within the purview of one skilled in the art without resort to undue experimentation. The thickness of the base plate 11 should be sufficiently thick so as to form a flange surface that prevents extension of the holder plate 15 to a position such that the interior angle A formed between the two plates is more than about 90°. The holder plate should be of dimensions that will allow imaging of any desired portion of the patient's body.
Thus, it can be seen that the portable film cassette holder 10 of the present invention provides for convenient placement of a film cassette adjacent a patient on an operating table for imaging of a desired portion of the patient's anatomy.
The invention also provides a method of positioning a human or animal patient and a medical imaging film cassette relative to each other for the purpose of imaging the patient. Employing the device depicted in the drawings, the holder plate 15 is raised to the functional position shown in
It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the medical imaging film cassette holder device of the invention may take any desired shape, depending upon its intended function. It will also be understood by those skilled in the art that, although the device disclosed herein has been illustrated as being utilized for X-ray imaging, it may also be used in connection with any type of medical imaging requiring the use of a film cassette.
Claims
1. A portable device for taking an X-ray of a human or animal patient comprising:
- a base means for positioning an X-ray cassette holder adjacent to a patient, said patient being positioned on an operating table, and an X-ray cassette holder means;
- said base means comprising a first plate member having an upper surface and a bottom surface, said X-ray cassette holder means being positioned on said upper surface and means positioned on said bottom surface for attaching said portable device to a surface adjacent to said operating table;
- said X-ray cassette holder means comprising a second plate member hingedly attached to said upper surface of said first plate so that said second plate can be selectively positioned between a storage position wherein said second plate lies substantially parallel to said upper surface of said first plate and a functional position wherein said second plate is substantially vertical to said upper surface of said first plate;
- said second plate defining C-shaped channels at opposite sides thereof for positioning an X-ray film cassette therein adjacent to the portion of the patient to be X-rayed when said second plate is in said functional position; and
- means for locking said second plate in said functional position.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein said surface adjacent to said operating table is the top surface of a table.
3. The device of claim 1 wherein said surface adjacent to said operating surface is the top surface of a Mayo stand.
4. The device of claim 1 wherein 3 wherein said means positioned on said bottom surface of said first plate for attaching said portable device to said top surface of said Mayo stand comprise means adjustable to accommodate attachment to the top surfaces of Mayo stands of varying sizes and shapes.
5. The device of claim 3 wherein said means positioned on said bottom surface of said first plate for attaching said portable device to said top surface of said Mayo stand comprise C-shaped channels extending along opposite sides of said first plate adapted for engaging opposite edges of the top surface of said Mayo stand to fixedly position said base thereon.
6. The device of claim 5 wherein said C-shaped channels on said bottom surface of said first plate extend substantially vertically to said C-shaped channels in said second plate when said second plate is in said functional position and are substantially coextensive with said C-shaped channels in said second plate when said second plate is in said storage position.
7. The device of claim 1 wherein said second plate is substantially rectangular in shape.
8. The device of claim 7 wherein said second plate is hingedly attached to said upper surface of said first plate at one side thereof.
9. The device of claim 8 wherein said second plate is hingedly attached to said upper surface of said first plate along substantially the entire or substantially less than the entire length of either said side of said first plate or a side of said rectangular second plate.
10. The device of claim 1 wherein said C-shaped channels extend on the side opposite to the side of the second plate that lies parallel to said first plate when said second plate is in said storage position.
11. The device of claim 1 wherein said means for locking said second plate in said functional position is a third plate member hingedly attached to said upper surface of said first plate such that the third plate can be positioned so as to lock said second plate in said functional position and such that it can be positioned to overlay substantially parallel to second plate when said second plate is in said storage position.
12. The device of claim 1 wherein said first, second and third plates are constructed of medically acceptable rigid or semirigid material such as a plastic.
13. The device of claim 12 wherein said plastic is PVC, ABS or the like.
14. An article of manufacture comprising packaging material and a portable device for positioning a part of a patient adjacent to an X-ray film cassette for taking an X-ray contained within said packaging material, wherein said device is effective for enabling the X-raying of patients, and wherein said packaging material comprises a label which indicates that said device is so useful, and wherein said device comprises that of claim 1.
15. A method of positioning a patient on an operating table and an X-ray film cassette relative to each other for the purpose of X-raying said patient comprising:
- providing said device of claim 1 and attaching said device to said surface adjacent to said operating table so that said second plate is in said functional position and locked therein by said locking means;
- inserting an X-ray film cassette in said C-shaped channels;
- positioning said device so that X-rays passing in a given path through said patient will intersect said cassette, and
- transmitting X-rays along said path.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein said surface adjacent to said operating table is a tabletop surface.
17. The method of claim 15 wherein said surface adjacent to said operating surface is the top surface of a Mayo stand.
Type: Application
Filed: May 12, 2004
Publication Date: Nov 17, 2005
Inventor: Weems Hollowell (Homosassa, FL)
Application Number: 10/843,584